Pressurized device for toilets

ABSTRACT

A pressurized device for toilets a gravity type flusher includes a water intake, a manual relief valve, a fill valve, a pressurized chamber-drain valve and a pressurized chamber-flush valve. The water intake conduit is connected to an external water source and constructed to supply water into the device, the manual relief valve is constructed to close the flow of water from a water intake and to nullify the pressure inside the device, the fill valve is constructed to fill the toilet water tank and to close water flow into the toilet water tank to a predetermine water level, the pressurized chamber-drain valve is constructed to supply a portion of water into the toilet bowl as a refill of water level required on the toilet bowl, to close a chamber and to allow a communication between the pressurized chamber and the atmosphere and the pressurized chamber-flush valve is constructed to obstruct the flow of water from the toilet water tank into the toilet bowl at is seated sate or close position and to allow water flow into the toilet bowl at is unseated state or open position.

This application is a continuation in part of the U.S. application Ser. No. 11/497,137, filed Aug. 1, 2006 entitled Pressurized Device for Toilets, which is a continuation of the PCT Application No. PCT/MX2005/000005, field Jan. 18, 2005 entitled Pressuirised Device for Toilets, which is a continuation of the Mexican Patent Application No. NL/a/2004/000008 field Feb. 2, 2004 entitled “Dipositivo Presurizado para Sanitarios” and Mexican Patent Granted under notification file 79476, dated Oct. 27, 2010.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention is directed to gravity type of toilet flushing and in particular to the flush mechanism performed (trigger) manually.

2. Background of the invention

Due to the high cost and difficulty of supplying water to the large cities, new systems to save water are being promoted and new devices are being launch into the market. One of the most significant forms of water waste is in the toilets and such waste it is due to the lack of performance of old and new technologies in the flushing mechanisms.

The existing mechanisms are not efficient in controlling the optimums water levels and in preventing water leakage, the most common flushing system for domestic application is the gravity type and it normally consist of a water storage tank connected to the toilet bowl. The water is stored in the tank by using a rubber

valve (flapper) that is closed by the pressure of the water over it, these are normally manually actuated to perform the water discharge form the tank into the toilet bowl drawn the contents in it. The most common types of water leaks are due to failures in the water filling valve which normally are closed using a floating mechanism or because a poor seal of the flush valves.

The U.S. Pat. No. 6,934,976 B2 illustrates a gravity pressurized flush system. The flush valve member works using mechanical elements such as a spring to manipulate the water tank discharge. The pressurized device for toilets opens the flush valve performed by pressure differentiation, when the relief valve is actuated it creates a pressures differentiation between the water stored in the tank and the pressurized chamber allowing the flush valve to open and by it discharging the water stored into the toilet bowl, all this without the use of mechanical elements and only by hydraulic means.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to another aspect, the pressurized device for toilets, a gravity type flusher includes a manual relief valve, a water fill valve, a pressurized chamber-drain valve and a pressurized chamber-flush valve. When the system is at a closed state, the complete device is pressurized based on that all the members of the system are connected to an external water source and its pressure. The manual relief valve is constructed and arranged to actuate and depressurize the system as well as to depressurize the pressurized chamber-flush valve, such manual valve might be a push button actuator. The fill valve is constructed to close water flow into the water storage tank to a predefine water level in the tank. The pressurized chamber-drain valve is constructed and arranged to allow a portion of water to flow into the toilet bowl allowing it to store a portion of water to receive contents. The pressurized chamber-flush valve is constructed to control a flush valve member between a seated state and an unseated state, and when on the unseated state allows water discharge from the water tank into the toilet bowl. The pressure from the external water source forces the flush valve member to the seated state preventing the water discharge from the water storage tank into the toilet bowl. The manual relief valve is constructed with a pressure relief passage that on actuation eliminates the external source of pressure and reduces the pressure in the pressurized chamber causing the water discharge, such actuation creates a pressure differentiation between the pressure resulting from the water stored in the tank and the pressure of the chamber making the flush valve member to be at an unseated state.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of the water tank and the complete members of the pressurized device for toilets, in which the system is illustrated in its pressurized and closed state.

FIG. 2 is a top isometric view of all the members of the pressurized device for toilets in which some of the members of the system are illustrated in an exploded view.

FIG. 3 is a top isometric view of all the members that constitute the pressurized device for toilets, in which is also illustrated a sectional view of the water tank.

FIG. 4 is a top isometric view of the water intake and of the manual relief valve, in which is also illustrated the parts used to assembly the member to the toilet water tank.

FIG. 4A is more detailed top isometric view of the manual relief valve, in which it is also illustrated in an exploded view all the parts required to construct the valve.

FIG. 5 is a top isometric view of the fill valve, in which it is also illustrated in an exploded view all the parts required to construct the member.

FIG. 6 is a top isometric view of the pressurized chamber-drain valve and a top isometric view of the pressurized chamber-flush valve, in which members of the pressurized chamber-flush valve are illustrated in an exploded view.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIG. 1, a pressurized device for toilets, a gravity type flusher includes a water intake and a manual relief valve as shown in FIG. 4, a fill valve as shown in FIG. 5, a pressurized chamber-drain valve as shown on FIG. 6 and a pressurized chamber-flush valve also shown in FIG. 6. In FIG. 1 the system is been shown in a closed sates (pressurized) or another way to say it is that the flush valve is a seated state, as well all the members of the device are been shown installed in a common or frequently used domestic toilet tank used in Mexico, United States and some European Countries.

Referring to FIG. 2, the members of the device are shown in an exploded view with the purpose of showing a more detailed view of how is arranged.

Referring to FIG. 3, the members of the device are shown in a top isometric view with the purpose of showing a more detailed view of how is installed in a typical domestic toilet tank.

Referring to FIG. 4, operation of the water intake conduit 42 includes at its lower position a conduit 2 with an outstanding diameter 3 that goes into the whole of the tank with the purpose of receiving external water, the bottom part of the conduit 2 is threaded and it uses a gasket 4 and a nut 5 to secure it to the toilet.

Referring still to FIG. 4, the water intake conduit 42 connects to the manual relief valve 1, which operates by having a conduit 6, where a hose 55 is attached.

Referring to FIG. 4A, operation of the manual relief valve uses a cylindrical body 41 threaded through the top, the cylindrical body has a central bore 43, at the bottom of the bore is a hole 45 that connects to the water intake conduit 42, it also uses a plunger 46 with longitudinal grooves 47 that is inserted into the bore 43, where the plunger 46 has at its bottom a conical end or tapered end 44 which is large enough to block the hole 45, on the other end the plunger 46 it has a spigot 49 to where is attached a gasket 48 to seal the hole 52. To close the cylindrical housing of the valve it uses a gasket 50 and screw cap 51 and once closed a protruding part of the spigot 49 is present and it uses a spring 53 and a nut 54 to allow the plunger 46 to come back to its seated state after is manually actuated. Perpendicular to the cylindrical body 41 the mechanism uses a conduit 6 to feed water to the system.

An alternative, of the manual relief valve operation is that instead of using longitudinal grooves 47 on the plunger 46, it can use such longitudinal grooves in the central bore 43 causing the same result when the valve is manually actuated with the purpose of system depressurization.

Referring to FIG. 5, operation of the water fill valve uses a cylindrical housing 15 threaded at the top, it uses a conduit 16 as intake water, it also uses a circular cap 12 whit gasket 56, which together with the housing nut 11 plug and seal the cylindrical housing 15, the circular cap 12 has a five holes arrangement, four of them placed (circumferential) every 90° and a center one through which passes a threaded rod 7, at the lower end of the rod it has a shutter 14 with a gasket 13, both with sufficient size to cover the five holes of the circular cap 12, at the upper end of the rod it uses a float 8 which is positioned by nuts 9 and 10, such position of the float determines the level of water in the toilet tank. The water fill valve uses another conduit 17 has a water outlet to other members of the system, while the holes on the circular cap 12 are used to fill the water tank.

Referring to FIG. 6, pressurized chamber-drain valve assembly uses a cylindrical housing 21 attached to a second cylindrical housing 20 (lower height) and it uses a conduit 17 as intake water. In the upper part of the cylindrical housing 20 it has a cylindrical elevation 27 with five holes on the top, four of them placed (circumferential) every 90° and one in the center and uses a conduit 26 to drain a portion of water into the toilet bow, such conduit 26 is connected to the interior wall of cylindrical elevation 27 and is above the circular cap 18 when the cap is a seated state. The cylindrical housing 20 at the bottom has an arranged series of screw perforations 29. Inside the cylindrical housings 21 and 20 is a threaded rod 22 that passes through the center hole of the cylindrical elevation 27 such rod 22 uses a circular cap 18 with a gasket 19 with a sufficient size to cover the entire area occupied by the cylindrical elevation 27 and on the opposite end the rod, this uses a float 23 which is positioned by nuts 24 and 25.

Still Referring to FIG. 6, the pressurized chamber-flush valve to operate uses the cylindrical housing 20 attached to a circular slab 36 which also has an around series of perforations 129 and a gasket 35 and are attached using screws. The circular slab 36 has perforations 30 arranged peripherally to a central tube 32, at the bottom it also has an over diameter 37 and gasket 38 to position the member into the center hole of the toilet tank, the bottom is threaded so that by using a nut 39 it can be securely attached to the toilet tank for such purpose. The flush valve shutter operates using a shutter 33 with gasket 34 which is circular and its diameter is sufficient to cover both the tube 32 and the perforations 30 that connect to the water tank. To guarantee a complete seal the circular slab 36 is constructed and arranged with two concentric seating rings, one at the edge of the tube 32 and another ring 31 around the perforations 30. The shutter is positioned over these rings when is closed or at its seated state making it leakage proof. The flush valve has a conduit 40 to outlet a portion of water into the toilet bowl coming from the conduit 26 with a hose 28 that connects both conduits.

The operation of the pressurized device for toilets is arrange in two phases, one is when the filling of water toilet tank and device pressurization occurs and the other is when the depressurization and water discharge form the water toilet tank also occurs.

Referring to the first phase, the filling and pressurization; the device operates as follows:

The water begins to flow from an external source through a water intake conduit 42 and enters a manual relief valve 1, through a conduit 6, that is connected to a hose 55 which in turn is connected to a conduit 16 and reaches the fill valve shown in FIG. 5, at this point the shutter 14 is not at a closed position or seated state so the water begins to flow through the holes of the cap 12 into the water tank, to be filled at a predetermine level, water is conducted simultaneously by a conduit 17 to the cylindrical housing 20 (The cylindrical housing 20 and the circular slab 36 are constructed to perform as a pressurized chamber), at this point the shutter 33 is now at a seated state or close position obstructing the tube 32 which is connected to the toilet bowl and the perforations 30 which are connected the water tank, at the same time the shutter 18 is open, the level of water inside the chamber rises and passes through the holes of the cylindrical elevation 27 to fill the cylindrical housing 21 which is a container that allows a portion of water flows through the conduit 26 connected with a hose 28 into the conduit 40 and into the toilet bowl. Such portion of water is a refill of water level required on the toilet bowl. Continuing with the filling and pressurization stage, when the water level in the tank reaches to the desired level a float 8 rises the shutter 14 closing the fill valve operation, also when the water level inside the cylindrical housing 21 increases, the float 23 rises the shutter 18 and closes the pressurize chamber.

At this point the system is completely pressurized. Also, the water contained in the cylindrical housing 21 keeps flowing through a conduit 26, a hose 28 and a conduit 40 into the toilet bowl until is completely drain. Is important to mention that in the bottom part of the cylindrical housing 21 will always remain an amount of water due to the existence of the cylindrical elevation 27, because the water is contained between the outer diameter of the cylindrical elevation 27 and the inside diameter of the cylindrical housing 21, being the level of water the height of the cylindrical elevation 27. Alternative in such space is that it can be accommodated a disinfectant tablet which is diluted in such portion of water, this process allows that every time, that water enters the cylindrical housing 21, the water will be combined with the diluted disinfectant.

Is important to mention that although there is no water in the cylindrical housing 21 the shutter 18 will remain closed due to the pressure provided by the external water source.

At this point the device is ready to be actuated.

Referring to the second phase, the depressurization and water discharge form the water toilet tank; the device operates as follows:

By pushing the plunger 46 of the manual relief valve 1 the tapered end 44 closes the water intake by closing the hole 45 (such action interrupts by a fraction of time the external water pressure), this action simultaneously allows that the water pressure in the system gets nullified, this is due that the pressurized water passes through conduit 6 into the manual relief valve 1, then inside the valve the water flows through the longitudinal grooves 47 and the water flows into the atmosphere by a space between the diameter of a spigot 49 and the diameter of a hole 52, understanding by this arrange that such diameters are different and they allow the water flow. Once the plunge 46 is not actuated the spring 53 makes the plunge 46 come back to its seated state or close position, closing the hole 52 with the gasket 48. Continuing with the operation of the second stage, once the system is depressurized the first event to take place is that the shutter 18 gets opened by the gravity action allowing a communication between the chamber and the atmosphere, at such time the system presents two different water level, one inside the device and an external level which is the predefine water level the water toilet tank, such difference of levels infers a pressure differential that in consequence makes that the water in the toilet tank flows through the perforations 30 and rises the shutter 33 and by this means the water flows through the conduit 32 and into the toilet bowl. The operation of the shutter of the flush valve is done only using hydraulic rules. As a simultaneously action the level in the tank decreases, the float 8 decreases and the shutter 14 gets open or unseated position.

Once the water level tank is low enough to balance the forces, the shutter 33 falls by gravity to its previous seated state or close position, by it obstructs both communications the perforations 30 and the conduit 32, beginning the cycle again.

In general the pressurized device is a leak proof due that all the shutters members are supported by the pressure of the external water source, generating significant forces to ensure the hermetic closure. 

1. A pressurized device for toilets, comprising: a water intake conduit member connected to an external water source and constructed to supply water into the device, where the water intake conduit members are a lower conduit with an outstanding diameter that is assembled into the whole of the tank with the purpose of receiving water form an external source, the water intake conduit its threaded at its bottom part and it uses a gasket and a nut to secure it to the toilet tank; a manual relief valve constructed to close the flow of water from a water intake and to nullify the pressure inside the device, where the manual relief valve members are a conduit (perpendicular to its cylindrical body) connected to a hose to communicate water flow into a fill valve, a cylindrical body threaded through the top where the cylindrical body has a central bore and at the bottom of the bore is a hole that connects to the water intake conduit, it also uses a plunger with longitudinal grooves and such plunger is inserted into the bore, also the plunger has at is bottom part a conical end or tapered end which is large enough to block the hole, on the other end the plunger it has a spigot to where a gasket is assembled to seal an upper hole of a screw cap and to close the cylindrical body of the valve it uses a gasket and screw cap and once closed a protruding part of the spigot is present and it uses a spring and a nut to allow the plunger to come back to its seated state or closed position after is manually actuated; a fill valve constructed to fill the toilet water tank and close water flow into the toilet water tank to a predetermine water level, where the fill valve members are a cylindrical housing threaded at the top, a conduit for water intake, a circular cap with a gasket and a housing nut to plug and seal the cylindrical housing, a circular cap with five holes, four of them placed circumferentially every 90° and a center one through which passes a threaded rod, at the lower end of the rod it has a shutter with a gasket both with sufficient size to cover the five holes of the circular cap, at the upper end of the rod it uses a float which is positioned by nuts, and where such position of the float determines the level of water in the toilet tank, another conduit has a water outlet to the pressurized chamber and by the holes of the of the circular cap flows the water tank is filled predetermine water level; a pressurized chamber-drain valve constructed to supply a portion of water into the toilet bowl as a refill of water level required on the toilet bowl, to close a chamber and to allow a communication between the pressurized chamber and the atmosphere, where the members of the pressurized chamber-drain valve are a cylindrical housing assembled to a second lower eight cylindrical housing, a conduit coming from the fill valve as intake water, a cylindrical elevation with five holes on the top, four of them placed (circumferential) every 90° and one in the center, a water conduit drains a portion of water into the toilet bowl, the conduit is connected to the interior wall of cylindrical elevation, where the cylindrical housing has at its bottom an arranged and series of screw perforations, and inside the cylindrical housings, is assembled a threaded rod that uses a circular cap with a gasket with a sufficient size to cover the entire area occupied by the cylindrical elevation and on the opposite end the rod it uses a float which is positioned by nuts; and a pressurized chamber-flush valve constructed to obstruct the flow of water from the toilet water tank into the toilet bowl at is seated sate or close position and to allow water flow into the toilet bowl at is unseated state or open position, where the members of the pressurized chamber-flush valve are a cylindrical housing, a circular slab with an arranged and series of perforations, a gasket and screws are used to assembly both parts, where the inside the circular slab it has perforations arranged peripherally to a central tube that at is bottom it has an over diameter and the part ends threaded so that with a gasket and a nut it can be securely assembled to the water toilet tank for such purpose, the flush valve also uses as members a shutter with gasket and with sufficient diameter to cover the tube and the perforations that connect to the water tank and to the toilet bowl, for a complete seal the circular slab is constructed and arranged with two concentric seating rings, one at the edge of the tube and another around the perforations, also the flush valve has a conduit that is connected with a hose to the pressurized chamber-drain valve to outlet a portion of water into the toilet bowl.
 2. A pressurized device for toilets of claim 1, wherein said manual relief valve alternative construction is that instead of using longitudinal grooves on the plunger, such longitudinal grooves can be in the central bore causing the same result when the valve is manually actuated with the purpose of flushing the toilet or the device depressurization.
 3. A pressurized device for toilets of claim 1, wherein said pressurized chamber-drain valve and pressurized chamber-flush valve at the depressurization phase the shutter from the drain valve gets opened by the gravity action allowing a communication between the chamber and the atmosphere and that a such time the system presents two different water levels, on inside the device and an external level which is the predefine water level in the water toilet tank, such difference of levels infers a pressure differential that in consequence makes that the water in the toilet tank flows through the perforations of the slab and pushes or rises the shutter of the flush valve and by this means the water flows into the toilet bowl, allowing by this means that the shutter of the pressurized chamber-flush valve gets open or gets in an unseated state by pressure differentiation, all this only using hydraulic rules. 